At the age of three, Martin* got into the family car and rode with his parents to a deserted place outside of town, completely unaware of how his life would drastically change. His father was a jealous, abusive man who often injured his mother. On this trip, while Martin looked on in horror, his father killed his mother. He then called a taxi with their location before killing himself. When the taxi driver found this little boy crying hysterically, he took him to the police station. Authorities located his grandmother, and she came to take him home. But despite her love for him, she knew she could not address all of his needs in the wake of this trauma.
Martin’s grandmother came to Kids Alive for help, and we quickly accepted him into our ANIJA School and began counseling for him and the family. For the first year following the death of his parents, couldn’t sleep at night, waking up screaming and begging not to be killed. As months passed, our staff worked hard to create a warm and safe environment for him, and he slowly began to trust again and learn about the love of God. Now he always wears a smile, is a joy to be around, and the other kids in his class want to be around him. At the end of his first year, Martin received the class award for “Most Friendly”. This was a highlight for the family and, along with the other benefits and resources from attending ANIJA, gives them great hope for the future.
*name changed to protect privacy